On the morning of March 10th, with the support of the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva, the China International Import Expo Bureau (CIIEB) and the Secretariat of the Hongqiao International Economic Forum (HQF) hosted a symposium on the 9th CIIE and HQF at the Palais des Nations, the European Headquarters of the United Nations.

Ms. Liang Hong, Minister Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of China to the UN Office at Geneva, and Mr. Song Shangzhe, representing the CIIEB and the HQF Secretariat, delivered remarks. The symposium introduced the contributions made by the CIIE and HQF to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the preparations for the 9th CIIE and HQF, as well as considerations for the theme and topics design of the 9th HQF. It also solicited opinions and suggestions from various parties to further strengthen international cooperation regarding the CIIE and the HQF.

Ambassadors and officials from relevant permanent missions in Geneva, as well as heads and representatives of relevant international organizations, delivered speeches and exchanged views. They spoke highly of the contributions made by the CIIE and the HQF in supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, expressed their expectation to further strengthen cooperation, and offered suggestions on improving the theme and topics design of the 9th HQF.

Dr. Liao Fan, Director-General of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), introduced the HQF’s flagship report, the World Openness Report, and research related to the World Openness Index, calling on all parties to strengthen cooperation and promote global common openness and development. Mr. Ai Hao, representative of the Bank of China and General Manager of its Geneva Branch, shared the bank’s practices in leveraging the platforms of the CIIE and HQF to help realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. BOC is a strategic partner of the CIIE and a diamond member of the HQF.

Attendees included Ambassador Rosalía Bohórquez of the Permanent Mission of Nicaragua in Geneva; Ms. Carla Miranda, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Cape Verde in Geneva; Mr. Riad Al-Awaj, Deputy Observer of the Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine in Geneva; and economic affairs officials from the permanent missions in Geneva of Kazakhstan, Russia, Myanmar, Peru, and other countries. Also present were Dr. Carlos Correa, Executive Director of the South Centre; Ms. Dorothy Tembo, Deputy Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC); Ms. Luz Maria de La Mora, Director of the Division on International Trade and Commodities, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); Dr. Anastasia Nesvetailova, Head of the Macroeconomic and Development Policies Branch, UNCTAD; as well as representatives from international organizations such as the WTO, WIPO, and ISO, along with representatives from partner organizations of the CIIE and HQF, including Swiss Centers. More than 30 people attended the symposium.

This symposium marks the second time that consultations regarding the CIIE and HQF have been held at the Palais des Nations. It follows the thematic seminar on the Global Development Initiative titled “Working together to implement the UN 2030 Agenda – CIIE in Action”, which was co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of China in Geneva and the CIIEB at the Palais des Nations on June 25, 2025.

During the stay in Switzerland, the working group of the CIIEB and the HQF Secretariat visited international organizations including the WTO Secretariat, UNCTAD, and ITC, engaging in in-depth exchanges on strengthening cooperation with the CIIE and the HQF.